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Tag: 2023 Presidential Ambition

  • Except death, nothing can stop my presidential ambition – Wike

    Except death, nothing can stop my presidential ambition – Wike

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has made a decison not to step down his ambition of contesting for the presidency of the country.

    Wike said only death can stop him from contesting the 2023 presidency.

    “The only thing that will make me to quit is death; if I’m alive, we will finish it on 28/29 of May (date for PDP presidential primaries).”

    The Rivers Governor made this statement in an interview on BBC pidgin on Friday in Port Harcourt.

    Wike, who spoke in pidgin English, said “I have been a local government chairman which is the grassroot, I have been a minister and now a Governor. How many of the aspirants have such experience?”

    He explained that former vice President Atiku Abubakar has only been a vice president, not a minister or even Governor.

    “If they put me and other aspirants side by side, the delegates will choose me, because I have been the one going from State to State telling them to vote for me.

    “Why would I step down for anybody? If you want to do consensus, you will do it with equity and fairness.

    “If the consensus you want to do is to gang up against one or two people, why will I join in that type of consensus. The people talking about consensus, are their hands clean? Their hands are not clean,” he added.

  • Fayose declares for presidency, insist PDP must zone to the South

    Fayose declares for presidency, insist PDP must zone to the South

    Ex-governor of Ekiti state Ayodele Fayose has declared his presidential ambition under the flagship of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Fayose gave this hint on a live tv programme in Lagos.

    Iroko as he’s fondly called has admonished the PDP to rethink and zone the presidential ticket to the South.

    “I don’t believe in not zoning this presidential ticket. I was a member of the zoning committee except for the last day that I picked up my form.

    “All they said was ‘because the party ought to have started the process a long time, for reasons on the fact that some people have bought forms, maybe the party can find a way to work around consensus’. They never made that statement (on throwing the presidential ticket open).

    Fayose also said he will only accept the consensus option if he gets the nomination.

    He said: “I saw the people going around for consensus. Who will step down for who? You asked me to step down? I won’t step down.

    “They said they want all of us to come and do consensus. I don’t know about them. I have taken my form today. I am not going to step down.

    “Who knows if it is me that Nigerians want to vote for? Do you know the mind of Nigerians? Do you know who they want? Any meeting or anywhere they talk about consensus, as good as that language looks, it is undemocratic.”

  • VP Osinbajo Informs President Buhari of his presidential ambition

    VP Osinbajo Informs President Buhari of his presidential ambition

    Insinuations around Aso Rock indicate that the Vice president Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has informed president Buhari of his intention to contest for the 2023 presidency.

    It was gathered that the VP deemed it fit to inform president Buhari of his ambition first before making an open declaration.

    VP Osinbajo had before now kept mum over his presidential ambition making room for speculations that he may contest or not.

    Sources close to the Vice President informed that Osinbajo has finally informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to vie for the Presidential slot at the primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    Though the source did not pinpoint the exact date the Vice President informed President Buhari of his intention, other sources indicate that it might have been shortly before the President embarked on his latest medical tourism to the United Kingdom.

    Recall that Vice President spokesperson, Laolu Akande had recently mentioned while addressing pressmen at the state house in Aso Rock during the VP’s 65th Birthday that Prof. Osinbajo would make his intention known very soon.

    Osinbajo to speak on presidential ambition soon – VP Spokesperson, Laolu Akande

    Details later…….

     

  • 2023: Dokpesi solicits S’East support for Atiku’s presidential ambition

    2023: Dokpesi solicits S’East support for Atiku’s presidential ambition

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has appealed to the South-East zone to support Alhaji Abubakar Atiku’s presidential ambition in 2023.

    Dokpesi, a member of PDP Board of Trustees and media mogul, made the appeal on Monday in Umuahia, while addressing the leadership of Abia PDP on the need for the zone to rally round Atiku.

    Atiku was the party’s Presidential Candidate in the 2019 general elections but lost to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Dokpesi gave assurance that Atiku, if elected president, would be in office for only one term of four years and thereafter pave the way for an Igboman to succeed him.

    He said that he believed the southeast was competent and qualified to rule the country and denied ever having a contrary opinion as erroneously reported in the media some years ago.

    He said that the agitation for a president of Igbo extraction was appropriate, saying that the zone had suffered marginalisation and needed to be given the opportunity.

    He said that an Atiku presidency would work to ensure the realisation of the agitation, assuring the people that he (Dokpesi) would stake his life for the project.

    He said that it was expedient for PDP’s presidential flag bearer to come from the north in order for the zone to complete its remaining one-term, truncated by the death of President Musa Yar’Adua.

    He argued that the north had yet to complete its eight-year tenure in line with PDP zoning arrangement, hence the need for Atiku to be given the presidential ticket.

    Dokpesi said that for the avoidance of doubt and fear of possible betrayal, the agreement for Atiku to run one term and handover to the southeast would be documented “in black-and-white”.

    He called for greater unity among the members to enable the party to win the Presidency in 2023.

    He said that the party owed Nigerians the obligation to continue to show exemplary leadership at the centre.

    “Nigeria is at the verge of total collapse and it is a duty we owe to salvage the country from the current economic difficulties and protracted security challenges,” Dokpesi said.

    He said that Atiku had the capacity and competence to tackle the nation’s multi-dimensional challenges.

    In a response, the Abia PDP Chairman, Chief Allwell Asiforo, said the chapter would take the message home and make its position known at the appropriate time.

    Asiforo described Atiku as a great man, who had made huge contribution toward good governance and the growth of democracy in the country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Atiku was the Vice President under the PDP administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

  • Why I’m yet to formally declare 2023 presidential ambition – Tinubu

    Why I’m yet to formally declare 2023 presidential ambition – Tinubu

    National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu on Tuesday said he will consult widely before making a decision on whether to run for the Presidency in 2023.

    He made the remark after a closed-door meeting with leaders of the Northern Alliance Committee in Abuja.

    “I am not going to turn them down,” he said of voices that have clamoured for his candidacy. “But I will still effectively and widely consult, particularly brainstorm with my friends and find a date to come out openly and tell Nigerians.

    “But the President is still in office. I don’t want to distract him from all the challenges he might face today. So, don’t muddle the political waters. Consult, make our program known to the people later. And the intention is clear. So you can keep guessing.”

    Tuesday’s meeting is seen as part of his consultations towards his 2023 presidential ambitions.

    Some South-West politicians, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have openly endorsed Tinubu for President.

  • Ex-Afenifere leader, Pa Fasoranti backs Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition

    Ex-Afenifere leader, Pa Fasoranti backs Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition

    An Elder Statesman and former Leader of a socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has expressed support for the presidential ambition of the APC National Leader, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

    Fasoranti stated this while receiving members of the South West Agenda for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (SWAGA 23), who paid him a courtesy visit in his country home in Akure.

    “Tinubu has all it takes to rule Nigeria. Considering his activities and track record, he deserves to be President, come 2023.

    “May his prayers be answered. When he gets there, he will do all we want,” he said.

    According to the Afenifere leader, with Tinubu as president, all the prayers of Afenifere for Nigeria will be answered, particularly on the issue of restructuring and federalism.

    Earlier, Prince Dayo Adeyeye the Chairman and Coordinator of SWAGA, said Yoruba must unite and speak with one voice, ahead of 2023 presidential race.

    He urged the Yoruba not to divide its house ahead of the presidential election.

    The former minister for works said that more than 50 traditional rulers across the six states of the South-West geopolitical zone had been visited for their royal blessings.

    He added that presidency would be zoned to the South in 2023, which could be any zone, hence the need to quickly start the movement for Yoruba to unite.

    “Tinubu has all it takes to rule the country, being a detribalised Nigerian who loves the masses and is blessed with enormous wisdom,” he said.

    Adeyeye however, stated that the team was not sent by Tinubu, but that it decided to take up the role, having found the former Lagos governor worthy because of his leadership quality.

  • Senate President, Lawan speaks on 2023 presidential ambition

    Senate President, Lawan speaks on 2023 presidential ambition

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Saturday denied nursing presidential ambition for 2023.

    Lawan, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, said the media report about the said ambition must have “emanated from the sort of practice that drags the noble profession of journalism to the gutters as it only dresses up the lazy fantasy of its unimaginative authors as a fact.”

    He said: “The report apparently has its source in beer parlour gossips and should be treated with the contempt which it and those who concocted it deserves.

    “It is true that the Senate President was involved in the consultations that President Muhammadu Buhari held prior to the last emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).

    “But there was nothing extra-ordinary in his involvement in such consultations, given his status as holder of one of the highest political offices in Nigeria and on the platform of the APC. Such is required of any concerned member of the party.

    “It is therefore sheer mischief for anyone to read ulterior motives to the Senate President joining hands with the President and other leaders in resolving misunderstanding in their own party.

    “We will like to stress that the Senate President’s preoccupation is with advancing the agenda of the Ninth National Assembly to focus governance on the pursuit of the best interests of the Nigerian people and to support President Buhari in delivering his promises to Nigerians.

    “The Senate President does not suffer such needless distractions as imputed by the false report under reference.

    “He believes that it is premature for anybody to be talking now about 2023 when all hands should be on deck against the myriad of challenges that faces our nation in this period.

    “We advise the idle pseudo-journalists to look for other engagements and stop bastardising this noble profession.”

  • Gov Umahi opens up on 2023 Presidential ambition

    Governor David Umahi has dissociated himself from the purported inauguration of a campaign platform known as ‘Southeast for President 2023’.

    He described the inauguration of the group on Tuesday in Abakaliki, the state capital as a distraction.

    Umahi in a statement by his chief press secretary, Emmanuel Uzor dissociated himself and his Government from any form of political gathering with intent to promote him for President in 2023.

    He said he is more committed to delivering quality and purposeful leadership to the people of Ebonyi State.

    Uzor said that promoters of his purported 2023 Presidential ambition did not have his support and therefore should not link him with any election that is four years ahead.

    “The Governor was greatly embarrassed by the link to Presidential ambition of 2023 being circulated in various social media platforms and wishes to state that he will not be distracted by the various endorsements by groups and individuals who clamour for Nigeria President of Igbo extraction”, Mr Uzor said.

    “Governor Umahi does not know the promoters of the platform and could not have contracted them to do the job but believes that any genuine and law abiding Nigerians reserve the right to go about their business as long as it doesn’t not impinge on laid down rules of the country “

    The statement further quoted the governor as having dismissed the insinuation of his Presidential ambition.

    “2023 is still very far ahead of us. I am the Governor of Ebonyi State and a second term Governor for that matter by the grace of God, I put all my energy and concentration to serve my people as Governor and deliver on my Campaign promises. I am not looking at where I will be tomorrow. Allow God to determine my next political fate but don’t distract me with Presidential ambition of 2023 now in 2019, its ridiculous”

    “Let me say again, as a Nigerian and Igbo man and in my capacity as the Chairman of South East Governors Forum, I am not against the idea or agitation for Nigeria President of Igbo extraction but linking me to it at this time is mostly embarrassing, distracting and premature and I beg to be left out of it,” Umahi said.